With new Spurs boss Jose Mourinho looking to improve his new side’s defence in January, one man who he could consider is Bournemouth’s Nathan Ake.
It was confirmed by the Telegraph, that the 24-year-old has been on Spurs’ scouting team’s radar for some time now and that new manager Mourinho could well make a move for the Dutchman in January.
Ake signed for Bournemouth from Chelsea in a club-record deal in 2017 and has been one of Eddie Howe’s most consistent performers in his overachieving Cherries squad.
Now valued at £31.5 million, Ake has gone on to make 103 appearances for Bournemouth and has established himself as a regular part of the Netherlands squad in recent years. The centre-back could prove to be the ideal long-term replacement for either Jan Vertonghen or Toby Alderweireld, with both Belgians expected to depart in the summer when their current contracts expire.
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Ake is part of a Bournemouth defence that has kept three clean sheets in their last four games, compared to Spurs’ single clean sheet in the Premier League this season, so could be exactly the sort of player Mourinho needs in order to sort his new defence. The Dutchman is still young and is a key player in Eddie Howe’s squad, so certainly wouldn’t come cheap if Spurs do make a move for him in the upcoming transfer window.
However, if they can move on the likes of Alderweireld, Vertonghen and perhaps Christian Eriksen in January then Mourinho should certainly consider the 24-year-old defender, who would no doubt welcome a move to a club with Champions League football. The scouting staff at the North London club are clearly big fans of Ake having tracked him for so long, so it will be interesting to see if the new boss agrees and approaches Bournemouth in January.